Aussies in L.A. and friends gathered at the home of Jill Palethorpe and Sparky Green Saturday in support of Malibu’s School on Wheels. School On Wheels, founded in 1993 by Agnes Stevens, a retired teacher, is a nonprofit organization that provides educational assistance to homeless children who live in shelters, motels, and cars and on the street.
Aussies in L.A. and friends offered their support for the homeless children by volunteering as tutors, donating financial aid and school supplies as well as enjoying the spectacular vistas of the Malibu coast, a sumptuous barbeque and a healthy hike up the beautiful mountains.
Eddie Crismani, School on Wheels resident Aussie, coordinated the event with support from Palethorpe and the assistance of Vivien Flitton, president of Australians in L.A.
School on Wheels needs volunteers to help tutor homeless children, donations of school supplies and tax-deductible financial donations.
School on Wheels receives no state or federal money and survives only through tax-deductible donations from people and organizations.
In 2004, more than 300 tutors donated 30,000 hours of their time to School on Wheels, and the organization distributed 5,000 backpacks with school supplies and helped hundreds of families enroll their children in school.
More information can be found at the Web site, www.schoolonwheels.org